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Putin and Rouhani condemn US missiles against Syria

Russia's President Putin and Iran's President Rouhani have condemned US action against Syria in a phone call. Washington's UN ambassador meanwhile has said Syria's President Bashar al-Assad cannot stay in power.

During a phone call on Sunday - reportedly on Iran's initiative - Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani called for an objective investigation into the suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria's Idlib province.

In a statement on its website, the Kremlin said the two leaders were ready to deepen cooperation to fight terrorism.

The phone call between Moscow and Tehran on Sunday came as Washington's UN ambassador said that in light of Tuesday's suspected chemical attack, which prompted the first direct US military action against the Syrian government, President Bashar al-Assad cannot stay in power.

In an interview with CNN, Nikki Haley said peace in Syria was impossible with Assad still at the helm.

"There's not any sort of option where a political solution is going to happen with Assad at the head of the regime," she said.

"If you look at his actions, if you look at the situation, it's going to be hard to see a government that's peaceful and stable with Assad."

"Regime change is something that we think is going to happen," she said, adding that Washington was also focused on fighting the "Islamic State" (IS) group in Syria and ending Iranian influence.

Change in US approach

After years of calling for Assad's removal during Barack Obama's presidency, Washington appeared to be stepping back from seeking regime change in Syria in recent weeks.

Before the Khan Sheikhoun chemical attack, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Assad's fate should be decided by the Syrian people, suggesting Washington would not oppose him standing for re-election.

Following Tuesday's suspected chemical attack, however, President Donald Trump ordered a barrage of Tomahawk missiles on a Syrian air base in Shayrat in the early hours of Friday morning.

Both Assad's regime and its allies in Moscow have denied responsibility for Tuesday's attack, saying any nerve agents released must have belonged to the rebels and could have been hit by a conventional strike.

Russia 'responsible by proxy'

British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon accused Russia on Sunday, however, of being "responsible" by proxy for the death of 87 civilians, including many children, killed in last week's attack.

"Assad's principal backer is Russia. By proxy Russia is responsible for every civilian death last week," Fallon wrote in an opinion column published in British weekly "The Sunday Times."

"If Russia wants to be absolved of responsibility for future attacks, Vladimir Putin needs to enforce commitments, to dismantle Assad's chemical weapons arsenal for good, and to get fully engaged with the UN peacekeeping progress," he added.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict?

War with no end

Syria has been engulfed in a devastating civil war since 2011 after Syrian President Bashar Assad lost control over large parts of the country to multiple revolutionary groups. The conflict has since drawn in foreign powers and brought misery and death to Syrians.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict?

The dictator

Syria's army, officially known as the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), is loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and is fighting to restore the president's rule over the entire country. The SAA has been fighting alongside a number of pro-Assad militias such as the National Defense Force and has cooperated with military advisors from Russia and Iran, which back Assad.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict?

The northern watchman

Turkey, which is also part of the US-led coalition against IS, has actively supported rebels opposed to Assad. It has a tense relationship with its American allies over US cooperation with Kurdish fighters, who Ankara says are linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighting in Turkey. The Turkish military has intervened alongside rebels in northern Aleppo, Afrin and Idlib province.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict?

The eastern guardian

The Kremlin has proven to be a powerful friend to Assad. Russian air power and ground troops officially joined the fight in September 2015 after years of supplying the Syrian army. Moscow has come under fire from the international community for the high number of civilian casualties during its airstrikes. However, Russia's intervention turned the tide in war in favor of Assad.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict?

The western allies

A US-led coalition of more than 50 countries, including Germany, began targeting IS and other terrorist targets with airstrikes in late 2014. The anti-IS coalition has dealt major setbacks to the militant group. The US has more than a thousand special forces in the country backing the Syrian Democratic Forces.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict?

The rebels

The Free Syrian Army grew out of protests against the Assad regime that eventually turned violent. Along with other non-jihadist rebel groups, it seeks the ouster of President Assad and democratic elections. After suffering a number of defeats, many of its members defected to hardline militant groups. It garnered some support from the US and Turkey, but its strength has been greatly diminished.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict?

The resistance

Fighting between Syrian Kurds and Islamists has become its own conflict. The US-led coalition against the "Islamic State" has backed the Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias. The Kurdish YPG militia is the main component of the SDF. The Kurds have had a tacit understanding with Assad.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict?

The new jihadists

"Islamic State" (IS) took advantage of regional chaos to capture vast swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria in 2014. Seeking to establish its own "caliphate," IS has become infamous for its fundamentalist brand of Islam and its mass atrocities. IS is facing defeat in both countries after the US and Russia led separate military campaigns against the militant group.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict?

The old jihadists

IS is not the only terrorist group that has ravaged Syria. A number of jihadist militant groups are fighting in the conflict, warring against various rebel factions and the Assad regime. One of the main jihadist factions is Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, which controls most of Idlib province and has ties with al-Qaeda.

Who's fighting in the Syria conflict?

The Persian shadow

Iran has supported Syria, its only Arab ally, for decades. Eager to maintain its ally, Tehran has provided Damascus with strategic assistance, military training and ground troops when the conflict emerged in 2011. The Iran-backed Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah also supports the Assad regime, fighting alongside Iranian forces and paramilitary groups in the country.